As Maker’s Asylum marks its 10-year milestone, it’s a time for reflection, gratitude, and envisioning the road ahead. We asked Vaibhav and Anool, the founders and Richa, our director, to share their thoughts and experiences from this audacious journey that started a decade ago.
Make: The Vision.
Vaibhav reminisced about the nascent days, the passion that ignited Maker’s Asylum. “We envisioned a haven for creators—a space where imagination met reality, where the joy of making could thrive. We wanted to build a vibrant community that transcended boundaries and nurtured innovation.” He envisioned the space to be having multiple studios and workshops under one roof, where people could have their own workspaces, and also access shared tools and workshops. The Goa space comes very close to this vision.
Anool reflected, “Maker’s Asylum has been a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Every maker, mentor, and collaborator has left an indelible mark, shaping us and the community.”
Richa shared, “It’s been an incredible journey witnessing this vision evolve. From a small workshop to a thriving ecosystem of makers, we’ve come a long way.”
Vaibhav echoed this sentiment, acknowledging pivotal individuals. Parmesh Shahani (Godrej), Sandrine Maximilien (French Embassy), Sanjay Jhadhav (SIL), Soumitra Bhatt (at the time at ISDI), Dr Guru Prasad Rao, Ankit Mehta (Imaginarium), Navi Rajdou, Jaideep Prabhu, and Nirav Khambhati to name a few. “There are so many remarkable souls who’ve contributed and help us evolve through challenges and through their blind faith in us at times. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our early supporters, mentors, and the tireless team behind the scenes. They’ve been instrumental in this journey.”
Break: Resilience, Reflection, Learning and Growth.
There were a lot of times in the journey of Maker’s Asylum where the future seemed unclear and hazy. Shutting down locations. Not having enough money to rent a space. Shifting 6 times over a span of a decade. Closing down the space due to COVID.
With honesty, Richa shared, “There were moments when doubts crept in, but each challenge reinforced our resolve. We navigated through uncertainties, embracing failures as opportunities to learn.” The challenges faced, especially during the pandemic, were defining moments that propelled the asylum into uncharted territories, reshaping it from a physical hub to a hybrid model.
Anool added, “The journey’s been riddled with challenges, but those hurdles sparked creativity, pushing us to innovate and adapt.”
On the question of Regrets, Vaibhav mentions “Perhaps the only regret, or the only thing that I would change is the fact that working with younger age groups earlier would have been really pivotal for us. We were running away from kids, we told them not to come to the Asylum, which I think was wrong. But we’re changing that now.”
Create: The Impact and the Future.
When asked about the impact they wish to impart through Maker’s Asylum, Richa emphasized, “We aim to instill a spirit of curiosity, resilience, and creativity in every individual that walks through our doors.”
Vaibhav: “Our goal is to empower – leaving everyone with the confidence to unleash their potential, irrespective of their background.”
Looking ahead for the upcoming 10 years, Anool said, “We didn’t plan the last ten years, and I don’t think looking ahead another decade may help much either. Who knows how many more course corrections will be needed in the coming decade. But being flexible, lean, agile and willing to adapt will see us through the next ten years, I guess.”
